


Mephistopheles

by nowayout



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Emotional Manipulation, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-14
Updated: 2015-08-14
Packaged: 2018-04-14 16:58:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4572411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nowayout/pseuds/nowayout
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>And then there’s Scott.</p>
<p>Looking bone-weary and tortured and all but broken, carrying around the stench of self-hatred like a second skin. Theo has to curl his hands into fists to stop himself from touching Scott again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mephistopheles

**Author's Note:**

> I'm actual garbage.

 

 

It’s not that he feared his plan wouldn’t work out the way it was supposed to, but he still has to be careful to keep his pride and brimming satisfaction in check when he sees just how smoothly all the pieces fall into place. For a brief second he thinks that maybe he should have done it sooner, should have gone straight for Liam and not waste any more time, because now he’s hailed as a hero after saving the pack’s crown jewel and his little girlfriend. But no, no, it’s better this way, he knows. The angry persistence and careful planning are finally paying off; they owe him, all of them. He’s saved Malia, saved Stiles, proved to Lydia that he can be kind and patient, that his intentions are nothing but good, that he only wants to help. That he _can_ help.

 

He has their trust now.

 

He can sense it, hear it in the way Lydia’s heartbeat stays relaxed and steady, watching Liam and Hayden sleep with a fond, almost motherly smile on her face while they wait for Scott to return. He can feel it in the warmsweetglowing gratitude that rolls off of Mason in waves when he hugs him, pushing away the last few remnants of panic that still cling to boy’s skin, the perfume of being fifteen and terrified that you could be losing your best friend at any time and without warning. He can smell it in the way Malia’s scent settles into something comfortable and less suspicious, see it in her tentative smile that doesn’t guarantee he’s one of them now but still says _you did good_ and _almost_ , because his attempts to seduce her may have been futile, a prime example of stupidly wasted effort, but she cares so much about the pup, the whole pack does, and _Theo_ is the one who found and saved him, he’s the one who managed to succeed where the rest of them failed, and that means something.

 

And then there’s Scott.

 

Looking bone-weary and tortured and all but broken, carrying around the stench of self-hatred like a second skin. Theo has to curl his hands into fists to stop himself from touching Scott again. But he wants to. He wants –

 

He wants to feel it, Scott’s pain, even if it isn’t the kind that could be taken away, isn’t physical. He wants his hands on Scott’s skin again because there’s something morbid about the way Scott carries himself right now, slumped shoulders and vacant eyes, reeking of guilt and shame and self-disgust. He’s alive but he’s isn’t, he’s dead, a dead animal, and Theo wants to touch him.

 

“How did you know where to find them?”

 

They’re not exactly hiding in Scott’s bedroom, but the door’s closed and they’re sitting close together on the soft carpet, and for a moment it’s easy to pretend it’s just the two of them in the world, talking in hushed tones, sharing secrets, learning each other inside out. Learning weak spots. Learning how to break someone with perverted affection.

 

Scott’s leaning against the bed like a puppet with his strings cut off, loose and pliant and ready to fall apart. What a beautiful broken boy, Theo thinks to himself. Scott needs someone to hold him together. He needs support.

 

Well. Theo is more than willing to give it to him.

 

“Corey remembered where they kept him,” he tells Scott, voice dripping with soiled sincerity. His heart rate stays even effortlessly because by now lying comes as natural as breathing and Scott is so eager to believe his pretty lies. “What you did to him, it must’ve triggered more memories than we thought, he just – ” Theo pauses, taking in the fresh wave of remorse that engulfs Scott. He looks at Scott, who keeps fidgeting with the sleeves of his jacket like a child who knows he’s done something he shouldn’t have and is anxiously waiting for his punishment, and smirks. “He just needed a little more time.”

 

Scott nods nervously. “Yeah, I know, I should’ve – I shouldn’t – what I did, I – ”

 

Biting back another smirk, Theo schools his features into what he knows looks like genuine concern and stops Scott’s ramblings. “Scott, listen to me,” he says softly, putting his hand on the back of Scott’s neck, rubbing gentle circles against the sensitive skin. “You did nothing wrong. You were worried about Liam and did what you had to do,” he assures Scott, pressing his fingertips in just a bit harder. He has to bite the inside of his cheeks in order not to grin when he feels Scott shiver. “Who knows what could’ve happened if you’d waited any longer.”

 

And reminding Scott what could have happened to his Beta seems to be his breaking point, Theo realizes proudly, because suddenly Scott’s looking at him with tear-filled eyes, open and vulnerable just like Theo wanted him, offering Theo his broken pieces on a silver platter without even knowing it.

 

When Theo wraps his arms around him this time, Scott doesn’t hesitate to hug back. He clings to Theo like he needs this, a comforting, reassuring touch, more than he needs to breathe, like he’s been craving it for a long time but never dared to ask for it. Theo keeps running his hands up and down Scott’s back, holding him close, breathing in his scent, misery and brittle hopes and, underneath everything that’s broken, the red-hot power that Theo can almost taste.

 

“I’m on your side, Scott,” he whispers, letting his lips brush the shell of Scott’s ear. He pulls back slowly but keeps their faces close together, his lips dragging slowly over Scott’s cheekbone. It’s not a kiss, but it’s enough to throw Scott off balance, to make his heart skip a beat even if Theo is sure that Scott doesn’t really understand what’s going on. He flashes a kind smile because he knows that right now it will confuse Scott even more and he needs Scott to lose his head completely. “No matter what happens, I’m with you, okay? I’m with you.”

 

Scott doesn’t smile back like Theo thought he would, doesn’t smile at all. Instead, he grabs Theo’s hand and squeezes, hard. It doesn’t hurt. Of course it doesn’t, Theo muses, keeping their hands clasped together tightly because Scott doesn’t seem to want to let go and neither does Theo. Scott would never hurt anyone on purpose. This is about something else entirely and Theo makes sure to give as good as he gets.

 

“Thank you,” Scott breathes out and it sounds like a fragile plea more than anything. There are so many words he isn’t saying, but it’s too late to think about everything that went wrong, and Theo can’t wait to show Scott that he’s the only one who can fix him before he ruins him heart and soul.

 

“You don’t have to thank me, Scott,” he says sweetly, his voice poison and honey. “This is what a pack does, isn’t it? We take care of each other.”


End file.
